House bill would allow consumers to sue foreign manufacturers

Lawmakers in the House want Americans to be able to sue foreign manufacturers who sell defective and dangerous products in the United States.

Reps. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.) and Mike Turner (R-Ohio) on Thursday introduced the Foreign Manufacturers Legal Accountability Act (FMLAA), snagging 13 co-sponsors, including Republican Reps. Walter Jones (N.C.) and Bill Posey (Fla.).

{mosads}The bill would require foreign manufacturers doing business in the U.S. to identify a registered agent in the state that’s authorized to act on the manufacturers’ behalf and accept any papers served in litigation. Courts in the state where the registered agent is located would have jurisdiction over the legal proceedings. 

The legislation, which applies to major product categories including consumer goods, drugs, cosmetics and chemicals, aims to remove current procedural hurdles and delays to give consumers the ability to sue foreign manufacturers in the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration would also be required to study how to apply similar rules to foreign food producers.

“Unfortunately, current law frequently allows foreign manufacturers to take advantage of legal technicalities to avoid responsibility for their defective products,” Cartwright said in a statement.

“By fixing our system for serving process and establishing jurisdiction over foreign manufacturers, the bipartisan FMLAA will protect American consumers and businesses, and will level the playing field for American manufacturers.”